[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12339-12340]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 6

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, the ranking member is in the Finance 
Committee at a very important meeting dealing with CAFTA. He is going 
to return as soon as the distinguished chairman of the committee makes 
his opening statement. I ask unanimous consent that the first two 
amendments in order be the one I would define as the ethanol 
amendment--I do not know who is going to offer that. Who on your side 
will offer that, I ask Senator Domenici?
  Mr. DOMENICI. We think it will be Senator Inhofe, but leave it up to 
the manager to decide.
  Mr. REID. I ask that the next amendment in order be that of Senator 
Cantwell of Washington.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Reserving the right to object, respectfully, I 
would request of the Democratic leader, would there be an opportunity 
under his unanimous consent request that I be allowed to make an 
opening statement after the two managers of the bill have made their 
opening statements?
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I think that would be totally appropriate. I 
would ask--the amendments we are talking about would be first-degree 
amendments.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I do not want the Senator to 
misunderstand, but I am going to object to the request, not because I 
do not want that to be the order. I would like very much to understand 
that is probably going to be the order, but I do not want to lock it in 
that way right now.
  What we are going to do, if the distinguished minority leader agrees, 
is I

[[Page 12340]]

will make an opening statement. If, in fact, Senator Bingaman is ready, 
somebody will get him here to make his, and then, if the Senator from 
Florida desires, we will let him proceed. Then we will work with you to 
get the other two amendments lined up.
  The reason I say that, I say to the Senator, is there is going to be 
a long debate and many amendments with reference to ethanol, and I 
would like to get it out here and see how it is going. It will be ready 
pretty soon. Then you will be right after that in order, as we have 
been discussing. I hope that is satisfactory.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Democratic leader is recognized.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, has the bill been laid down yet?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. It has not.

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